Improved Water Supply For St. Catherine Communities

Residents of York Street and surrounding communities in St. Catherine are to benefit from improved water supply under a pipeline replacement project being undertaken by the National Water Commission (NWC).

The project will see works being executed in the York Street area, and will also impact the Cheesefield and Wallens communities.

Vice President for Engineering and Capital Projects at the NWC, Garth Jackson, told JIS News that the project involves replacing old and leaking pipelines.

“So, what we’re doing is where there are extensive lengths of leaking pipes, we are replacing those, where we have intermittent leaks, we are repairing those.  We are not only replacing but upgrading the size from the existing four-inch to a six-inch main.  Our estimate of the cost, including the material cost, is expected to be in the range of $15 million to $20 million,” he informed.

Mr. Jackson said the project should be completed in three to four months including the laying, testing and sterilisation of the pipelines.

“Pipes are in stock so it is anticipated that the project will be done quickly and will have a positive impact on the beneficiary communities,” he said.

The York Street pipeline replacement project is part of the Infrastructure Improvement Master Plan covering the entire area from Bog Walk to Berkshire Hall/Dover Castle, along the Devils Race Course Road, and as far west as Linstead/Ewarton.

“It’s something that we’ve been working on for about four years and we’re doing it in phases as the funds become available,” Mr. Jackson told JIS News.

He said that rationalisation of all six wells serving the area has already been done as well as significant leak detection and repair works.

“All this is part of efforts to maximise the use of the potable water produced by the NWC,” he noted.